Jan. 13, 2010

WINSTON-SALEM, NC - The 2009 season was a great one for the Winston-Salem State University cross country teams as an influx of new talent and a great cast of returnees combined to make the season one of the best in school history. As a team, the Rams had one of their greatest efforts in school history with three top three team finishes and finishing just outside of the top 10 at the 2009 Walt Disney World Cross Country Classic. The effort marked one of the team's best in school history.

One of the key reasons for the Rams' effort was the arrival of freshman runner Andrew Chebii who set a number of school records and finished in the top five of every race of the season. Not satisfied with placing in the top five, Chebii went on to win three of the six meets that he competed in. He opened the season on a high note, placing second at the 2009 UNC-Pembroke Invitational. He finished the 8K event with a 27:14.77 in the event, but was edged out by less than just over 30 seconds for first place. He came back to win the 2009 Salem College Invitational a week later, taking the 8K event in 28:17.4. He saved his best 8K effort of the season for his best competition when he finished second at the AT&T Race of Champions at the 2009 American Cross Country Festival. He finished second in the event with only Maryland's Alex Lundy finishing ahead of him. He posted a time of 24:16 in the event, setting a school record that he'd beaten earlier in the season.

Not to be outdone by a freshman, sophomores Alex Barnes and Desmond Wiggan also had solid efforts during the season as well. Barnes also posted a pair of top five finishes as he finished third at the 2009 UNC-Pembroke Invitational and at the 2009 Salem College Invitational. He posted times of 27:14.77 and 28:14.6 respectively in the 8K events. Like Chebii, he saved his best 8K effort for the best competition as he recorded a personal record 26:10 at the AT&T Race of Champions at the 2009 American Cross Country Invitational. Fellow sophomore Desmond Wiggan also had a great 2009 season. He and Barnes battled back and forth all season long with little time separating the two. Like Barnes, Wiggan also posted a pair of top five finishes, placing fourth at the 2009 UNC-Pembroke Invitational and the 2009 Salem College Invitational. He posted 8K times of 27:17.83 and 28:17.4 respectively in the events. His best 8K time of the season came at the AT&T Race of Champions at the American Cross Country Festival where he placed 72nd with a 27:17.

Though the Rams enjoyed a phenomenal effort in 2009, the effort was just a taste of what is to come as every member of the squad is likely to return next season. For more information on Rams cross country, contact the WSSU Office of Athletic Media Relations at (336) 750-2909 or log on to www.WSSURams.com.